EiE Reminisces

As we enter our fifth year as a community organization, Enough Is Enough (EiE) is proud to have played a leading role in many important community initiatives and we wish to express our sincerest thanks to all who have offered, and continue to provide, their support and encouragement.  It's because of you and your willingness to stand up for fiscal restraint and responsibility that we have been so successful over the years.

Looking back on some of our proudest accomplishments...

• We successfully ended a decade-long string of annual Proposition 2 ½  overrides, the cumulative cost of which has exceeded $75 million since 1998, resulting in Hamilton and Wenham’s tax rates being among the highest on the North Shore.
• We began and submitted a Citizen’s Petition that resulted in the approval by the voters of both towns of an amendment to the Regional School District Agreement allowing for an operational audit of the school district.  We continue to press for implementation of the cost saving recommendations of that report.
• We exposed the HWRSD maintenance spending inconsistencies and failures.
• We researched, wrote, published and delivered The Hamilton-Wenham Free Press to every household in both towns in 2009, 2010, and again in 2012…expanded to 12 pages!
• We actively supported the Organic Waste Recycling Program in both towns.
• We debunked the NEASC “loss of accreditation” tactic used to encourage unneeded school spending.
• We successfully petitioned the rescheduling of Hamilton Annual Town Meetings from week nights to Saturday mornings, resulting in consistent quorum attendance since implementation.
• We supported Hamilton’s first in the Commonwealth Senior Tax Exemption initiative.
• We recommended that the DPW's in both towns take over all maintenance of HWRSD grounds and buildings.
• We strongly supported the hiring of a new audit firm for the school district which found hundreds of thousands of “lost” dollars in various revolving accounts and previously un-reconciled accounts.
• We fought for, and won, several school budget reductions and the return of nearly $1 million in unspent school funds to taxpayers.
• In a recent election we researched and recommended three candidates for the School Committee, all of whom were elected.
• We organized the defeat of the $2.5+ million Patton Pool project and are in the process of preparing an alternative proposal, with scope and associated costs significantly better suited for our community.